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Friday, June 2, 2006
On higher-class emergency rooms
And a GOP acknowledgement that ticking off school systems may not have been such a hot idea
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Eric Johnson, the Republican leader of the state Senate, speechified late last week at the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, a local, conservative think tank.
The Savannah lawmaker gave a preview of some interesting fights to come at the state Capitol.
Some will be waltzes between Democrats and Republicans. But not a few will be internal disputes that could put a strain on the new ruling party. We offer a few excerpts below.
On health care:
“We must lobby the federal government to remove the requirement that hospitals treat everybody who walks into their emergency rooms. No reform can work as long as ‘free’ care is available.â€?
On education:
—“Vouchers are not yet politically feasible.â€? (Note the word “yet.â€?)
—“We need to realize that school boards are relevant and cannot be ignored.â€? (Possibly, this should have been addressed before election season.)
On economic development:
Johnson said debate over “private cities� would continue. “The constitution should be amended to allow Community Development Districts to be created that use private financing of infrastructure for new developments rather than property taxes and public debt. They would be self-governed and only created with the approval of the local government.�
On privacy:
“We should realize that we need to continue to strike a balance between public safety and privacy with such issues as cameras at red lights, identity theft, and the availability of consumer data. Technology versus privacy will be a growing problem.�
A six-month extension for Bobby Kahn?
Democrats want to put off a fight over who'll lead the party. Because they don't know where they're headed.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia Democrats have put out an announcement that they’ll hold this year’s state convention in Atlanta on Sept. 16.
The story behind this: About 2,000 delegates are to elect a new slate of party officials at this gathering, including a new chairman.
Bobby Kahn has quietly let it be known that he’s not willing to serve another term.
But Democrats are wary about a floor fight in the middle of a crucial gubernatorial campaign that could very well determine whether they’ve got a 40-year hike in the wilderness ahead of them.
So there’ll be a meeting of the state Democratic executive committee later this month. On the agenda will be a proposal to put off election of a new chairman until after November, when Democratic fortunes will be a little more clear.
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Of rap and Muzak
DeKalb goes for the MP3 vote. For the elevator set. And the boom-boxers.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Politics in DeKalb County has gone musical. Angela Moore, a Democratic candidate for secretary of state, has campaign rap. Very groovy. Or awesome. Or whatever.
By contrast, Hank Johnson, the DeKalb commissioner running against Cynthia McKinney for the 4th District congressional seat, has invested in a milder campaign song. Something that white people can dance to. Badly.
But the lyrics are interesting, including this line: “Someone who’s willing, who’ll always be there at the table.”
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